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line drawing

(US, law, figurative) The process of establishing a specific boundary, distinction or limit in regard to prescribing the best legal rule.

ˈlaɪn ˈdɹɔɪŋDocumented since 1890sSilenthistorical547 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1891 · no dated citations yet
1891BornToday, 2026

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#1·Apr 27, 2026Global

(US, law, figurative) The process of establishing a specific boundary, distinction or limit in regard to prescribing the best legal rule.

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#2·Apr 27, 2026Global

(art) A pen or pencil drawing consisting only of solid lines.

Origin: From . First use appears c. 1891. The figurative sense is a deverbal form of the expression draw the line. The exact date of its first appearance is uncertain. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"line drawing" means a pen or pencil drawing consisting only of solid lines. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"line drawing" is informal English meaning a pen or pencil drawing consisting only of solid lines. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a pen or pencil drawing consisting only of solid lines" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "line drawing" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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